Q&A with Greg Kurras

What do you find unique and interesting about Yellowstone National Park?

It’s amazing to be able to map hydrothermally active fractures in the lake and then visit similar systems around the lake.

What new things do you hope to learn over the course of the project?

We’d like to see how well the sonar does at identifying and mapping hydrothermal bubble plumes to identify which vents are currently active.

How did you become interested in your field of study?

I love building new tools and exploring the oceans through SCUBA diving, so I went into Ocean Engineering and specialized in sonar design and submersibles. Later I moved from the equipment side to the data side trying to understand the amazing geology the sonars were showing me. The earth is an amazing place to explore and my job allows me to pursue that exploration.

What is one of your favorite things about your job?

After years of working in academics and then industry, I started my own company ‘Seafloor Investigations’ and found I could bring the two worlds together in complimentary fashion to improve both commercial and research endeavors.